Germany hammer Sweden 4-1 to reach quarters

PHOTO: The Star/ANN

OTTAWA - Top-ranked Germany hammered Sweden 4-1 to reach the quarter finals of the Women's World Cup on Saturday, overcoming the heat to brush off their European rivals in a second round game in Ottawa.

The quick and powerful Germans, who showed why they are one of the tournament favourites, will play the winner of Sunday's France-South Korea match next Friday in Montreal.

Celia Sasic scored in each half against an overwhelmed Swedish side with Anja Mittag and Dzsenifer Marozsan also netting.

Sasic and Mittag now both have five goals in the tournament.

Sweden's only consolation was a late header from Linda Sembrant.

"We were clearly the better team and that's why we won ... I think (Sweden) did well but we didn't allow them to make much of it," said coach Silvia Neid, who played down talk of her side reaching the final.

"It won't be easy. We played well but we're not world champions yet ... we're human beings, not robots," she said.

Germany, who won the title in 2003 and 2007, were knocked out in the quarter finals when they hosted the tournament in 2011. Sweden came third in that World Cup.

Neid's side attacked the fifth-ranked Swedes from the start, spurning a good chance after just 15 seconds.

Mittag broke the deadlock in the 24th minute, firing in a curling 22-yard drive that took Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl by surprise.

Sasic easily converted a spot kick in the 36th minute and then headed home from close range in the 78th as the pace of the game slowed in the second half with the temperature rising.

Sembrant grabbed one back four minutes later before Marozsan looped the ball over Lindahl in the 88th minute.

"Germany are a very good team and deserved to advance," said Swedish coach Pia Sundhage.